Lagos begins demolition of buildings after school building collapse

Few days after the building collapse that killed at least nine on Lagos Island in Lagos, the state government Friday began the demolition of marked dilapidated buildings in the area.

The state government had earlier earmarked about 140 building for demolition on Lagos Island. 29 of the dilapidated buildings are expected to be demolished today.

A  building which housed a primary school and nursery came down without warning on Wednesday. The three-storey building was marked for demolition last year, an eyewitness Abdulazeez Elegushi told The Guardian.

The state governor Akinwunmi Ambode said the government faced opposition by owners of the houses.

“As you can see, some of the buildings have been marked for demolition,” he said during his visit to the scene of the building collapse.

“We get resistance from landlords.”

A shop owner, Adeniyi Afolabi, who lives nearby, gave the name of the school as the Ohen Nursery and Primary and said there were 144 pupils in attendance. But said not all children were at school because of sports activities.

By Thursday morning nine people were confirmed dead while 37 people were rescued alive, the National Emergency Management Agency, said.

“We have gotten to ground zero,” added Kehinde Adebayo, a spokesman for the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency. “The debris has been cleared.

“All those trapped have been evacuated and the rescue operation has ended,” he told AFP. Final casualty figures were still being compiled and would be announced later, he said.